Ten Days of Halloween: Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge

Every once in awhile, I stumble across a book that leaves me breathless. I'm propelled forward. Compelled to read. Like a lemming, I plunge over the cliff, discover the land beneath my feet is gone. I've scampered through the forest of words too quickly, come face-to-face with the most horrid of all reading calamities...

The book is over. I'm done reading. I'm sailing over the edge of the cliff.

I don’t find a book that pushes me over the edge very often. So when I do, I realize instantly that I’ve just found my New Favorite Author.

Allow me to introduce you to Norman Partridge, my NFA. The book that had me flying through the air—the dark dangerous night air—is Dark Harvest, published by Tor.

You must read it. Really. You just have to.

Besides the stunning prose, the nostalgic setting and the perfect monster, one element captivated my writer's heart. The POV. I’ve never read anything like it. Smooth and flawless, it sailed from one person to the next with nary a skip or a bump. I was never confused (terrified, yes) and I was never irritated. I gladly soared along like the chill autumn wind, danced through swirling leaves as the writer had me chasing one character after another, all within the same scene.

If you're a writer and you struggle with POV, if you want to see something new and daring and creative, if you just plain want a good book that won’t let you rest until you are completely and thoroughly done, this book is a must-read. But I have to warn you. Dark Harvest won’t leave you alone, even after you finish it. Sorry. This one’s going to cling to the walls of your memory. Maybe forever.

So, come with me to the scary lemming edge, to the cliff you can’t resist.

Come. Read the first chapter.

Put on your lemming skin and read.

I dare you.

P.S. Stay tuned for more Halloween book recommendations in the next two days, plus an update on what's new and exciting in YA!!

The Ten Days of Halloween: Day One: iDrakula

Halloween is coming. Soon leaves will be blowing across your yard, pumpkins will glow on your porch and troops of ghouls will come knocking on your door, demanding treats. The days are getting shorter and darkness rules the land. We mortals try to stave off the long, lonely night by lighting fires, baking cookies, and curling up in a comfortable chair with a great book.

This is the season for great books. Great spooky books that make the chill in the air a bit more sharp.

Over the next ten days, I’m going to be recommending ten fabulously creepy books, each of them perfect for a long, autumn evening, when the wolves are howling and your cup of tea is steaming.

My first recommendation:
iDrakula by Bekka Black

This digital book is beyond incredible. A reimagining of Dracula, this version brings a familiar tale to life in a new, fresh way. The story is told through a series of e-mails, text messages, Internet searches and voice mails, with the occasional picture attachment thrown in. Designed to be read one day at a time—a technique that heightens the tension and makes you even more invested in the story—Bekka Black’s creation is flawless. I couldn’t put it down. Seriously. The characters feel incredibly real and the story puts a modern spin on the original vampire story, making it not only more contemporary and more scary, but also more believable.

I give this digital book 5 stars and I highly recommend it for a spooky, Halloween read.

My only question is: Can we expect more of these from Black? I hope so. Because I want more. I’m already imagining iFrankenstein or iMummy or iWerewolf.

GOOD NEWS:
The author of iDrakula, Bekka Black, just told me that iFrankenstein is up next (woo hoo!!) and will hopefully be out by Halloween, next year.